• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 07:28
CEST 13:28
KST 20:28
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
[ASL19] Finals Recap: Standing Tall9HomeStory Cup 27 - Info & Preview18Classic wins Code S Season 2 (2025)16Code S RO4 & Finals Preview: herO, Rogue, Classic, GuMiho0TL Team Map Contest #5: Presented by Monster Energy6
Community News
Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL54Weekly Cups (June 23-29): Reynor in world title form?13FEL Cracov 2025 (July 27) - $8000 live event16Esports World Cup 2025 - Final Player Roster16Weekly Cups (June 16-22): Clem strikes back1
StarCraft 2
General
RECLAIM STOLEN BTC HIRE BLOCKCHAIN CYBER RETRIEVE Weekly Cups (June 23-29): Reynor in world title form? The SCII GOAT: A statistical Evaluation PiG Sty Festival #5: Playoffs Preview + Groups Recap The GOAT ranking of GOAT rankings
Tourneys
Korean Starcraft League Week 77 Master Swan Open (Global Bronze-Master 2) RSL: Revival, a new crowdfunded tournament series [GSL 2025] Code S: Season 2 - Semi Finals & Finals $5,100+ SEL Season 2 Championship (SC: Evo)
Strategy
How did i lose this ZvP, whats the proper response Simple Questions Simple Answers
Custom Maps
[UMS] Zillion Zerglings
External Content
Mutation # 480 Moths to the Flame Mutation # 479 Worn Out Welcome Mutation # 478 Instant Karma Mutation # 477 Slow and Steady
Brood War
General
Player “Jedi” cheat on CSL BW General Discussion Flash Announces Hiatus From ASL BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ Unit and Spell Similarities
Tourneys
[Megathread] Daily Proleagues [BSL20] Grand Finals - Sunday 20:00 CET Small VOD Thread 2.0 [BSL20] GosuLeague RO16 - Tue & Wed 20:00+CET
Strategy
Simple Questions, Simple Answers I am doing this better than progamers do.
Other Games
General Games
Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread Nintendo Switch Thread Path of Exile What do you want from future RTS games? Beyond All Reason
Dota 2
Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
Heroes of the Storm
Simple Questions, Simple Answers Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Heroes of StarCraft mini-set
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread Vanilla Mini Mafia
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Trading/Investing Thread Things Aren’t Peaceful in Palestine Russo-Ukrainian War Thread The Games Industry And ATVI
Fan Clubs
SKT1 Classic Fan Club! Maru Fan Club
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread [Manga] One Piece [\m/] Heavy Metal Thread
Sports
Formula 1 Discussion 2024 - 2025 Football Thread NBA General Discussion TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 NHL Playoffs 2024
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread
TL Community
Blogs
Culture Clash in Video Games…
TrAiDoS
from making sc maps to makin…
Husyelt
Blog #2
tankgirl
StarCraft improvement
iopq
Trip to the Zoo
micronesia
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 566 users

The Real Science of StarCraft II

Forum Index > SC2 General
Post a Reply
1 2 3 Next All
Schnake
Profile Joined September 2003
Germany2819 Posts
August 15 2010 12:33 GMT
#1
I just found an interesting article that I wanted to share with you guys. Will we end up having an overmind sooner or later? :D

Scientists in a variety of fields including entomology, evolutionary biology, systems ecology, astrobiology, and physics, help us determine how much of the technology featured in the StarCraft universe is entirely science fiction and what could actually exist in real life.

Excerpt:
The Overmind
To control the vast billions that comprise the Zerg race, a hivemind consciousness rules over the species. This consciousness, known as the Overmind, provides direction for the raging masses of the Zerg brood. It is even suggested that individual Zerg have no conscious mind whatsoever. Are there examples of this kind of hivemind on Earth?

It is currently impossible to say with any certainty whether there could be a race like the Zerg out in the vastness of space. However, our own planet has a wonderful variety of life forms in extremely diverse environments. So it's possible that looking inward at our own planet could give us a decent idea of what Zerg-like aliens would be like.

"Construction occurs in an entirely opposite context to a hivemind," says Dr. Gene Robinson, professor of Entomology at the University of Illinois, about bee and ant behaviors. "Bees respond to local cues with a behavioral response, without knowing what the global state or goal might be. Local actions give rise to phenomenal global patterns, with no one in charge."

We don't have a consciousness that mirrors the Zerg, but the end result can still be similar.

In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony. This is theorized to have been accomplished by stowing away on human transport, and overthrowing native colonies. So even with a different type of hivemind, Zerg-like tendencies can still emerge.

Verdict Plausible

Hybrid Species
The three central races of the Starcraft universe are perfect foils for one another. Not only in terms of perfectly balanced gameplay, but also biology and story. So it was inevitable that they would start trying to meld their races together, to create extremely powerful hybrids capable of turning the tide of the war.

The Zerg show this capability in their infestation of Kerrigan, while the Terran are known to have experimented with implanting Protoss tissue into their spy units, Ghosts. Even the extremely powerful Xel'naga race of Starcraft lore experimented heavily with combining Zerg and Protoss DNA. But is it likely that the DNA of species separated by half a galaxy could be combined?

"The easiest way to meld two species would be to use genetic engineering to insert the desired genes of one species into another," says Dr. Michael Alfaro, professor of evolutionary biology at UCLA. "This is already happening -– transgenic animals are commonly created to express human diseases in lab animals like mice as well as weird animals like bunnies that glow and goats that produce spider silk in their milk."

"This does not mean that biologists can create a [hybrid] animal with any desired mix of traits," Alfaro continues. "Though it is not so far-fetched to imagine a technologically advanced society doing something like this."

Verdict True

Source: http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/215926/the-real-science-of-starcraft-2
"Alán Shore" and "August Terran" @ LoL EUW - liquidparty
Tritonus
Profile Joined August 2010
Denmark125 Posts
August 15 2010 12:52 GMT
#2
I thought it was commonly known that ants don't act on their own but are basically doing what the queen in the hive is in need of. Hive minded, basically.
Liquid`Jinro
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
Sweden33719 Posts
August 15 2010 12:57 GMT
#3
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony. This is theorized to have been accomplished by stowing away on human transport, and overthrowing native colonies. So even with a different type of hivemind, Zerg-like tendencies can still emerge.

This is the coolest/scariest thing I have ever heard.
Moderatortell the guy that interplanatar interaction is pivotal to terrans variety of optionitudals in the pre-midgame preperatories as well as the protosstinal deterriggation of elite zergling strikes - Stimey n | Formerly FrozenArbiter
Antisocialmunky
Profile Blog Joined March 2010
United States5912 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 12:59:47
August 15 2010 12:58 GMT
#4
Ants do what is best for the colony, not the queen. In some species, if the current queen is getting old and not producing and many eggs then she may be deposed if there is a rival queen hanging around.

Besides everything is based on pheromone levels with ants, there is no centralized command and control with them.

As for the super colony, I think that is just a species of ants that doesn't compete with ants of the same species so every time a colony splits off - the colonies only attack other types of ants.
[゚n゚] SSSSssssssSSsss ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Marine/Raven Guide:http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewmessage.php?topic_id=163605
Phayze
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Canada2029 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:02:41
August 15 2010 12:59 GMT
#5
Im freaking scared shitless, as an ant just crawled onto my desk seconds before I read this and I killed it. Oh god help me... zerg incoming.
Proud member of the LGA-1366 Core-i7 4Ghz Club
ELA
Profile Joined April 2010
Denmark4608 Posts
August 15 2010 13:00 GMT
#6
Interesting read - Thanks for posting this.
The first link of chain forged, the first speech censured, the first thought forbidden, the first freedom denied, chains us all irrevocably.
shannn
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
Netherlands2891 Posts
August 15 2010 13:01 GMT
#7
In the year 3010 the world will be in war between the terrans(humans), the zerg(the ants), the ehmm some race similar to the protoss :D and the hybrids (the hybrid animals) :D

But seriously the quote jinro quoted is scary though if you think about it ><
http://www.teamliquid.net/forum/viewpost.php?post_id=6321864 Epic post.
synapse
Profile Blog Joined January 2009
China13814 Posts
August 15 2010 13:04 GMT
#8
Now I don't want to step on ants anymore.... rofl
:)
Jameser
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden951 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:08:33
August 15 2010 13:05 GMT
#9
On August 15 2010 21:52 Tritonus wrote:
I thought it was commonly known that ants don't act on their own but are basically doing what the queen in the hive is in need of. Hive minded, basically.

ants don't actually operate under the direct control of the queen the way zergs do, they just have a series of basic commands that they follow in varying priority based on different things in the nest but it's a cool read :D
edit:
The Overmind
....
"Construction occurs in an entirely opposite context to a hivemind," says Dr. Gene Robinson, professor of Entomology at the University of Illinois, about bee and ant behaviors. "Bees respond to local cues with a behavioral response, without knowing what the global state or goal might be. Local actions give rise to phenomenal global patterns, with no one in charge."

We don't have a consciousness that mirrors the Zerg, but the end result can still be similar.
....

basically sums up what I said lol
Tritonus
Profile Joined August 2010
Denmark125 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:09:54
August 15 2010 13:08 GMT
#10
I mean maybe I just meant to say that I thought people knew that ants kinda have a collective conscious, that they are in fact biological "robots" with no awareness of their own.

Last week I saw a group of ant eating away at a dead bee, and I pointed to it with my finger quite near it to show my friend. As my finger neared, the ants sensed a presence and sent out two ants a couple of inches from the bee, one was facing in my direction and the other was looking slightly to the right of me, while the rest of the ants kept working away at the bee.

I thought that was quite cool that they sent out "scouts". Ants = drones. Bees = minerals.
MaelstromIV
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada28 Posts
August 15 2010 13:08 GMT
#11
On August 15 2010 21:33 Schnake wrote:
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony.

That's a pretty vague statement and I'm pretty sure it just means that they're the same species, not that they can telepathically communicate. To think that telepathy is possible because a few ants crawl around is just ridiculous.
Jameser
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden951 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:10:32
August 15 2010 13:10 GMT
#12
On August 15 2010 22:08 MaelstromIV wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 15 2010 21:33 Schnake wrote:
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony.

That's a pretty vague statement and I'm pretty sure it just means that they're the same species, not that they can telepathically communicate. To think that telepathy is possible because a few ants crawl around is just ridiculous.

what in the article even indicates they would have a telepathic connection, or that ants even work that way
MaelstromIV
Profile Joined August 2010
Canada28 Posts
August 15 2010 13:14 GMT
#13
On August 15 2010 22:10 Jameser wrote:
Show nested quote +
On August 15 2010 22:08 MaelstromIV wrote:
On August 15 2010 21:33 Schnake wrote:
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony.

That's a pretty vague statement and I'm pretty sure it just means that they're the same species, not that they can telepathically communicate. To think that telepathy is possible because a few ants crawl around is just ridiculous.

what in the article even indicates they would have a telepathic connection, or that ants even work that way

I was using the article to back up my thoughts, which is that the OP is stretching it a bit.
heishe
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Germany2284 Posts
August 15 2010 13:31 GMT
#14
the problem with a real hive mind like the overmind is that it would either have to communicate with the "swarm" telepathically (at the moment this is highly unlikely to even be possible, as brains are not machines with a predefined output pattern that can be read), or it would have to be some kind of super plant where every animal returns to a nest during night and receives new information or something.
If you value your soul, never look into the eye of a horse. Your soul will forever be lost in the void of the horse.
lindn
Profile Joined July 2010
Sweden833 Posts
August 15 2010 13:43 GMT
#15
On August 15 2010 22:31 heishe wrote:
the problem with a real hive mind like the overmind is that it would either have to communicate with the "swarm" telepathically (at the moment this is highly unlikely to even be possible, as brains are not machines with a predefined output pattern that can be read), or it would have to be some kind of super plant where every animal returns to a nest during night and receives new information or something.

well there were those worm-like things i forgot the names on (cerebrates if i'm not wrong?) and having a special species collecting the messages and fly to the cerebrate and give him them would be possible, though slow. the chance of a system like where the creatures acted on their own in battles or had more powerful creatures command them in the field would be better
Opinion
Profile Joined May 2010
United States236 Posts
August 15 2010 13:46 GMT
#16
On August 15 2010 21:59 Phayze wrote:
Im freaking scared shitless, as an ant just crawled onto my desk seconds before I read this and I killed it. Oh god help me... zerg incoming.


You killed the first drone scout.
figq
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
12519 Posts
August 15 2010 13:49 GMT
#17
People are too obsessed with putting their own way of thinking in place of what is. The Hive can occur without the need for an "Overmind", but people are paranoid and always think about "someone" in control. Another problem is the refusal to categorize systems a little more flexibly. For example, we could argue that the "overmind" is the sum total of all ants. The ants form a communication network between each other, similarly to the way a brain does. In the brain there isn't one neuron which controls all the others, but it still works remarkably well. Sure, ants have queens, but as we see the ant colonies could be interlinked too, and there isn't one queen to rule them all. Similarly, in the brain there are more major and less major clusters of neurons. Thanks a lot for this, interesting read!
If you stand next to my head, you can hear the ocean. - Day[9]
XsebT
Profile Blog Joined June 2009
Denmark2980 Posts
Last Edited: 2010-08-15 13:58:38
August 15 2010 13:57 GMT
#18
On August 15 2010 21:57 Liquid`Jinro wrote:
Show nested quote +
In 2009, scientists learned that separate ant colonies in Japan, Europe, and South America were actually part of a massive global super-colony. This is theorized to have been accomplished by stowing away on human transport, and overthrowing native colonies. So even with a different type of hivemind, Zerg-like tendencies can still emerge.

This is the coolest/scariest thing I have ever heard.

Oh Lord! Maybe we're just part of a huge intergalactic nydus network using black holes as nydus canals. X_X
화이팅
ithree
Profile Joined January 2010
443 Posts
August 15 2010 14:08 GMT
#19
Think ant's are scary atm ?

heres pt 1 of a classical bad 70s film of it:
[image loading]
Film pt 1 of 7 (legal btw)
TheAngelofDeath
Profile Blog Joined May 2010
United States2033 Posts
August 15 2010 14:17 GMT
#20
This is amazing. Lol. :D
"Infestors are the suck" - LzGamer
1 2 3 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
RSL Revival
10:00
Season 1: Playoffs Day 3
ByuN vs ChamLIVE!
herO vs Reynor
Tasteless1595
Crank 1055
IndyStarCraft 216
Rex139
3DClanTV 120
IntoTheiNu 51
LiquipediaDiscussion
CranKy Ducklings
10:00
Master Swan Open #93
CranKy Ducklings87
LiquipediaDiscussion
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
Tasteless 1534
Crank 1055
IndyStarCraft 206
Rex 136
ForJumy 23
MindelVK 20
StarCraft: Brood War
Calm 8554
Horang2 1737
Larva 1184
Flash 951
Jaedong 549
Stork 342
BeSt 229
actioN 201
Soulkey 191
Hyun 175
[ Show more ]
Last 159
Mini 130
TY 105
sorry 72
yabsab 51
Yoon 47
Mind 38
Free 32
hero 30
Barracks 26
GoRush 26
Shinee 22
NaDa 22
Sea.KH 22
sSak 22
Mong 17
Icarus 14
SilentControl 6
ivOry 5
sas.Sziky 2
Dota 2
XaKoH 625
XcaliburYe587
canceldota90
League of Legends
singsing1224
Counter-Strike
Stewie2K460
Heroes of the Storm
Khaldor277
Other Games
B2W.Neo704
DeMusliM289
SortOf156
Lowko123
Organizations
StarCraft 2
ComeBackTV 841
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
sctven
[ Show 13 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Adnapsc2 8
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• WagamamaTV496
League of Legends
• Lourlo2348
Upcoming Events
WardiTV European League
33m
FEL
4h 33m
RSL Revival
22h 33m
Clem vs Classic
SHIN vs Cure
FEL
1d
WardiTV European League
1d
BSL: ProLeague
1d 6h
Dewalt vs Bonyth
Replay Cast
2 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
2 days
WardiTV European League
3 days
The PondCast
3 days
[ Show More ]
Replay Cast
4 days
RSL Revival
4 days
Replay Cast
5 days
RSL Revival
5 days
RSL Revival
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

BSL 2v2 Season 3
HSC XXVII
Heroes 10 EU

Ongoing

JPL Season 2
BSL Season 20
Acropolis #3
KCM Race Survival 2025 Season 2
CSL 17: 2025 SUMMER
Copa Latinoamericana 4
Championship of Russia 2025
RSL Revival: Season 1
Murky Cup #2
BLAST.tv Austin Major 2025
ESL Impact League Season 7
IEM Dallas 2025
PGL Astana 2025
Asian Champions League '25
BLAST Rivals Spring 2025
MESA Nomadic Masters
CCT Season 2 Global Finals
IEM Melbourne 2025

Upcoming

2025 ACS Season 2: Qualifier
CSLPRO Last Chance 2025
2025 ACS Season 2
CSLPRO Chat StarLAN 3
K-Championship
uThermal 2v2 Main Event
SEL Season 2 Championship
FEL Cracov 2025
Esports World Cup 2025
StarSeries Fall 2025
FISSURE Playground #2
BLAST Open Fall 2025
BLAST Open Fall Qual
Esports World Cup 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall 2025
BLAST Bounty Fall Qual
IEM Cologne 2025
FISSURE Playground #1
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2025 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.